Mirrors
by NoNameNot
Summary: Before there was the zodiac, there was us. The Original Zodiac. The ones God created and loved first, and then exiled from heaven to make room for the newer, improved Zodiac. Now, we're known as the Mirror Zodiac, just a reflection, nothing more. OC's
1. Ch 1: I, Zikaki Kagami

Chapter One: I, Zikaki Kagami

It felt as if Zikaki's heart was being ripped out of her chest. Her lungs unable to inhale, her eyesight blurry and her movements painful and slow, she ran as fast as her unwilling body would permit. She didn't like to run anyways, she never was all that fast. But this made it worse, far worse. It was like being a fly trying to move in molasses; desperately trying to fight the substance that had entrapped it and eventually would consume it, and end it. But she had to keep moving, no matter what, she couldn't stay in that place, or something far worse would happen. So there she was, running frantically on the side of a street she didn't know, in a direction she wasn't aware of, clutching her burnt, throbbing right arm.

She heard the feet of those she was frantically trying to evade, getting closer and closer. _Thump, thump, thump_ went several pairs of feet behind her as Zikaki remarked on how the sounds of their footsteps were louder and faster than her heart was. The farther she got from them, the more she could breathe, could see, could feel. The more she could be alive once again. But only for a second did it last, as with her slowing speed her pursuers caught up more and more, having the seconds that she grabbed at when she was just far ahead enough to gasp in a treasured breath of air, getting cut down more and more until it was finally that she could no longer breathe, or see, or bare to keep her limbs moving, the sounds becoming more and more apparent.

Finally, when she could take no more, her lungs cruelly devoid of any left remains of oxygen, her heart tired and her legs no longer willing to progress, she collapsed into a motionless heap, her consciousness darkening as she felt IT trying to take over again. She willed it away, but alas, was not strong enough to even lift a finger of defiance to the unseen entity that lie dormant within her soul, creeping over her mind, overriding her senses into that of pure instinct, hatred, and bloodlust. She managed to push herself onto her back to await her fate.

She let out an inaudible sound at how hopeless the situation was, how terribly she wanted to take a nap, to leave the cold overtaking her and go to someplace warm where she could stay forever. It sure seemed like a way better place to be than this. How? How could this have happened? Her family was always so careful, so cautious. Their mere existence revolved around avoiding THEM until the Harvest Week, which didn't really matter since none of her family ever saw any of_ them_ at all that one single week in the year, except for one.

She doubted the rest of _them_ even knew about Harvest Week. The only person that was one of_ them_ that she and her small family saw in that entire week, that agonizing week that was mandatory since the dawn of time for her family, was the leader of _them_. Zikaki couldn't remember her name, her brain was shutting down. This week was required, as said, to spend that one week in the Harvest Season together with at least one member of them, of that horrid family Zikaki's family hated so dearly. It was a secret gathering, and also, on her side of the family, a dark one.

There were many stories about the zodiac, of which only one is true. But never is the ENTIRE true story told. The story of the Original Zodiac is always left out, the one in which God casts aside the first zodiac God created, like they were mere experiments for something greater to come. Like broken playthings, doomed to an eternity of being outcasts, shunned and mocked for being replaced, an eternity of feeling broken and longing to be acknowledged again, for the light to shine in the dirty box they were thrown so carelessly into and loved again as beloved play friends. But no, there they sat, cold and alone, replaced by God's newer toys.

In the very beginning of time, God created the universe. Then, God became lonely, so he created five beloved animals to be his friends. They were the hummingbird, the Koi fish, the poison dart frog, the fruit bat, the turtle, and the panda bear. The animals were God's faithful companions, always by his side, ever loyal. But one day, God began to become bored, and decided to experiment creating new animals. He successfully created 13 new animals, so perfect that God immediately forgot about the original six. The first six animals were fine with this at first, they wanted God to be happy. But there wasn't enough room in heaven for all of them. So God cast down to the Earth the first six as they all aimlessly wandered the earth together, forgotten.

And so, every year, on that despised week, the week in which God cast aside the first life he created, the Kagami family was to meet with the family that had taken there places, like a big slap in the face. That was her name, Zikaki Kagami. Fitting last name isn't it? It means mirror, that's what they were known as, the Mirror Zodiac, just a reflection, nothing more. Zikaki was the panda bear. Zikaki was 14 years old with black hair and black eyes. Zikaki wore glasses. Zikaki couldn't talk. Zikaki liked to sleep. And Zikaki, like all of the other Kagami clan, all of the other Original Zodiac, hated the Sohmas, the family that had cast them down from heaven.

Other than the Harvest Week, Zikaki and her family was forbidden to be near the Sohmas. Or something very bad would happen. Just like the Sohma family, when a member of the opposite sex hugged them, they would turn into their individual animals. But, unlike the Sohmas, when the Kagamis were around the others, they would start turning into something…else. Not a panda bear, or a fish. No, some sort of horrible monster. Worse than the cat, the Kagamis could not ever change back if this were to occur. They would attack and kill everyone, except for their family. It would start just as Zikaki's had, the senses and organs shutting down till you're not aware of yourself deforming into some grotesque form, or of yourself ripping the skins off of all that stood in your path.

The Kagami clan worked oddly. When a new Kagami member was born, there was always just one, and they were always a member of the Mirror Zodiac. Six children were born, which made a Kagami generation. Any other child born would parish. And after any child was born, so would the mother. Soon, all but one Kagami member from the preceding generation died, just one to care for the new six. Then the cycle would repeat. That was how the Kagami clan was born. Adding to the feeling of isolation, especially for whoever was left alone from the last Kagami generation line.

Back to the matter at hand, those who were chasing after Zikaki were three members of the zodiac, the cat, and the girl that had caused this to happen. Zikaki could recognize them, recognize their scents. The rat, the cow, and the rabbit. And the cat. Then, of course, Tohru Honda, known far and wide by Zikaki's family as the girl who had uncovered the Sohma curse. They called it a curse, Zikaki would have liked for them to see what life as a Kagami was like, for people to hate you as soon as they met you, for no reason at all. Anyways, it had all started out as a normal day. Zikaki kept her head down. Zikaki paid attention to what Kaito was saying...kinda. Kaito was only 33, the last of the generation before hers. Kaito was the turtle. Zikaki thought Kaito was boring. But he'd never know that, on account of her not being able to talk.

So, Zikaki had been dropped off at her new school. High school. This was Zikaki's first day, and her anxiety was high. Kaito had patted her on the back and told her it would be fine and he'd be back at the end of the day to pick her up. She kept her head down as smiling, laughing, human faces passed by her, unaware of her existence. She walked into the hallways of her new school, and quickly found her locker. She saw a girl next to it, with brown hair and brown eyes. Zikaki quietly slipped next to the girl and quickly opened her locker, placing her belongings inside of it. She closed her locker and turned to leave, when the girl spoke to her. "Oh, hi there! Are you a new student?."

Zikaki flipped around again, and surveyed the smiling girl. She seemed nice, Zikaki liked her hair. But there was something about her, some sort of invisible force, propelling Zikaki away. Zikaki tried to smile, but gave up and just nodded. "Oh, that's great! I'm Tohru Honda, it's nice to meet you." Zikaki didn't catch the name right then, if she had she would have turned and fled, back home to never return again. Zikaki nodded at Tohru again and once again tried to smile, this time managing a small one, then looking down once more. "So, what's your name?" Zikaki froze. She hated being asked questions. Hated having the words but being unable to use them. Zikaki COULD talk, she knew words. But she literally had no voice_ at all_. Like she was made without a voice box.

Zikaki opened her mouth, then shut it, then looked down, hanging her head. She brought her head up and put her hand to her mouth. Then she pointed to it and shook her head. Tohru understood and said "Oh, I'm sorry! You can't talk, can you?" Zikaki shook her head again. "Oh! I know!" Tohru reached into her bag and grabbed a pen and paper. She handed them to Zikaki. "You can write it, right?" Zikaki nodded and took the pen in hand, ignoring how when their hands touched, Zikaki received a sharp shock. In large letters she wrote her name, 'ZIKAKI KAGAMI', in bold, black ink. Tohru looked at it closely. "Zikaki? That's a nice name! Well, like I said, I'm Tohru, and it's nice to meet you!" In the next few seconds things would go from sorta okay to extremely bad. Tohru extended her hand, as Zikaki pondered her name, wondering where she'd heard it before, when out of the corner of her eye, as she reached for Tohru's outstretched hand, she saw one of _them_. He had purplish grayish hair, and purple eyes.

For any other girl, his face would be enough to swoon over constantly, but it made Zikaki's stomach churn. He had it all over him, everywhere. The scent, the look, of a Sohma. Zikaki stopped her motions, and realized what was propelling her from Tohru. She had the smell of Sohmas _all over her_. Zikaki's mind snapped together, realizing that this was _the_ Tohru Honda, the same Tohru Honda who worked for and lived with the Sohmas. In the last second, as Yuki Sohma, the rat, approached them both, acknowledging Tohru, she tried to retract her hand before it touched Tohru's, she took a step back, and gripped the side of the lockers, ready to run. But Tohru grasped her hand to shake it, and Zikaki felt a feeling of horrible anger sweep over her, as if she could slap Tohru's face off right there. Zikaki didn't want to do that. But she knew what was making her think she did.

Tohru's hand send courses of shocks down Zikaki's arm, as she pulled away quickly, her arm visibly smoking with a sickeningly sour smoke. Only someone that was a Sohma, or covered with their sense, could do that. Zikaki gripped her hand and felt her heart beat increase till it hurt, then lower drastically. Her limbs suddenly felt heavy, and her eyes filled with a black liquid. She could feel them surrounding her. There were four now. They had appeared out of nowhere to Zikaki. The rat, Yuki, the cat, Kyo, the rabbit, Momiji, and the cow, Hatsuharu, were all around her now, and people were staring at her and her burning flesh. Zikaki did the only think she could. She turned, and ran. Out the door, her lungs burning, they followed quickly. Zikaki didn't know why they were following her, other than the fact that it was obviously there presences' that were affecting her. Burning her.

She heard them shouting after her, yelling for her to stop, trying to reason with her, feet racing to catch her as she started out at a darting pace, then eventually slowed to where she is now, on her back, nearly caught, all resolve gone. She closed her eyes, excepting her fate, when a pair of arms picked her up. Blurry images of someone she knew. Black liquid flowed from her eyes like tears or ink as the stoic face of Shizukani Kagami, the fruit bat, carrying her off, seemingly not affected at all by the Sohmas sickening aura. Zikaki should have expected that, Shizukani trained to maintain sanity against the Sohmas presence. Shizukani was one year older than her. Shizukani had pale skin, black hair and green eyes. He didn't talk a lot. That was good though, since neither did Zikaki.

She clung for life onto his white long coat as he swiftly and quickly darted from the area, Zikaki feeling her consciousness coming back, her lungs coming back from the verge of collapsing. She closed her eyes as the black fluid dried up and evaporated, as if it was never their at all. Shizukani set Zikaki down on a park bench. He crouched down to face her. Zikaki averted her eyes. She didn't like the thought of Shizukani thinking she was weak. She could be just as strong as him…if she wasn't the panda. "Are you alright?" He asked quietly. "…" Zikaki nodded slowly, kicking her feet, feeling the tingling sensation that comes after you move when you've been numb for awhile prick all over her skin. He blinked before grabbing her shocked arm and looking it over.

Zikaki jumped and felt her face heat up in embarrassment. She hadn't wanted him to see that, she expected to just go back to the house and get help from Kaito then, but with her Sohma infected burns, it would only show that she had been careless again. Zikaki didn't have a very good memory. She stayed silent as Shizukani assessed her wounds. Finally he stood up and pulled Zikaki up by her unscathed hand. "You need medical care. Come, we're leaving, I'm taking you to Kaito." He began walking towards the direction of what Zikaki assumed was where home was. She let out a soundless sigh as she happily realized that he wasn't about to scold her. She realized that he was gaining distance from her so she ran to catch up with him as she thought about what tomorrow would be like.

It's not like she could just stop going to school, people would get suspicious, come sniffing around. And Zikaki didn't want that, didn't want her family to pay for what she did wrong. So, she'd brave the school again tomorrow, and try and stick closely to her family that was starting tomorrow. Shizukani was starting tomorrow. So were the three other Mirror Zodiac members. The hummingbird, the Koi and the poison dart frog. Zikaki looked up at the sky, feeling cold, and wondering when the next Harvest Week was as she walked in comfortable silence, yet inside was dreading the morning to come.


	2. Ch 2: I, Kaito Kagami

Chapter Two: I, Kaito Kagami

Zikaki was resting in her room. Kaito gently closed the door behind him, taking his gauze and placing it back in its proper case. She had been burnt pretty badly, but nothing too serious that it wouldn't heal in a day or so. He had been sitting in his study, reading an article he found online about some sort of new disease when Shizukani came in, holding the hand of a flushed Zikaki, her red face stood out on her sickly looking pale skin.

Shizukani had pulled the embarrassed Zikaki over to Kaito and sat her down in the chair before his desk, then leaned against the doorframe. "She's burnt her hand." He said simply, surveying Zikaki who tugged self-consciously at her short school girl skirt. Kaito rolled his chair over to Zikaki and took her warm hand in his. He looked it over, turning it until he saw Zikaki wince at the tendered skin being touched. Kaito handled it more gently then, subconsciously tracing the reddened marks on her soft, delicate hand. "What happened?" Kaito asked, a little more than overprotective.

Shizukani also noticed this, and his eyes narrowed and his gaze darkened in warning to Kaito, as he answered coolly but frigidly "Well, it's obvious by the scent the burns are carrying that she either came into contact with a Sohma, which is unlikely because the burns would be much more severe if that happened, or she was physically contacted by someone that spends much of their time near a Sohma member. By these burns I'd say this person knows a fair deal about them as well." Shizukani shifted his body to stand in the middle of the doorway.

"Hmm, I see, it appears you're right." Kaito nodded, meeting Shizukani's gaze, equally cold. Zikaki moved uncomfortably in her seat, feeling the mood in the air become dense and standoffish. "Yes, yes, it appears to be just so. I do believe I know who exactly she met. Zikaki, did you meet, or see, or even brush into anybody named Tohru Honda?"

Zikaki looked down awkwardly, and nodded, her mid back length black hair feathering around her face, covering her eyes as she miserably bowed her head. "Hmm, yes, I see, do you remember where exactly?" Kaito asked, scooting closer to Zikaki to see her reaction.

"…" Zikaki opened then closed her mouth, then took one of her hands and made a motion similar to opening a locker, putting the combination in then closing the locker door. Then she held up two fingers and pointed to one of them. "Ohh, I see, so you have a locker next to hers?" Zikaki quickly nodded. "Well then, it's not your fault, you couldn't help your locker placement. I'll go to school in a few hours and ask about moving you, but next time, pay more attention to what I say, okay? I know I told you about Tohru." Kaito said sternly but softly. Zikaki smiled slightly, then nodded again. Zikaki did a lot of nodding.

"Alright then, go up to your room and get changed. I'll be up after I get supplies to wrap your wounds up in, and they'll have to have an ice pack to avoid unsightly markings being left. If your injuries give you any problems with dressing or holding things, get Bereii or Helei to assist you. Run along now." Zikaki stood up and did as she was told, walking with her eyes to the floor, swooping to avoid Shizukani and running up the stairs.

Shizukani and Kaito stared at each other in silence. "So…what should we do?" Shizukani broke the glaring silence. Kaito cleared his throat. "I'll go to the school in awhile. I'll make sure none of you have lockers or classes with any of the Sohmas." "What about in the hallways?" "Then you'll all just have to avoid them at all costs. You know the rules." Shizukani rolled his eyes.

Of course he knew, it was an ancient tradition amongst the Kagami clan. Precisely four weeks before the Harvest Week, all the Kagamis uprooted whatever lives they'd created for themselves from wherever they were, which wasn't usually a problem considering the 'lives' they all ever had anywhere were friendless and cold. That was fine with Shizukani, people were ignorant, and unnecessary to him. Except for his family, Shizukani never knew a reason to know anybody else.

Anyways, back to the point of this, the Kagamis would move into a house they had that they never lived in, never visited, never went by just to see how it was. No, for most of the year they left the house alone, silent and empty, until they suddenly flooded it with life again, for four weeks and only four weeks. Four weeks they stayed in that large, dark house, then they suddenly left.

After four weeks, they would stay in a single part of the Sohma house, in a place where nobody went, visited daily by the infamous Akito Sohma, curt words spoken, nods of acknowledgement, then they were left to their own devices. All alone. For a single week. Not like that was any different than any other week, the Kagamis were always alone, always only with each other. But what made it far worse is that they were surrounded, everywhere, with the enemy. Encircled by the ones they hated most in this rose tinted world.

Shizukani folded his arms. "Of course. And do to that, we can't leave, that's what you're saying, am I right?" Kaito raised his eyebrows. "It's just for four weeks, Shizukani. And the one week we should worry about, we never do because we never see any of the Sohmas besides Akito. Are you telling me you can't handle four measly weeks of being _near _the Sohmas? You're much weaker than I thought."

Shizukani glared daringly at Kaito. "Don't be absurd, of course not. I'm just saying, it's only been one day and already Zikaki's been injured. We didn't have to worry about this when there was another school to go to without any Sohmas. But now we all have to go to a single high school, and I just don't want anyone else getting hurt." Kaito smirked. "Sure you just don't want _Zikaki_ to get hurt again?" Shizukani ticked with annoyance and surprise but recovered quickly. "Just see to it that whatever needs to be done, is done." Shizukani turned in the doorway and left abruptly.

Kaito chuckled. He enjoyed teasing Shizukani about his feelings about Zikaki. It was even funnier when Shizukani tried to hide it, which was quite impossible for him. Kaito laughed quietly to himself as he grabbed his medical bag and stood up to go see how Zikaki was fairing.

He knew he was way too overly protective of Zikaki, then again so was Shizukani. But they were both in different ways. Kaito was protective of Zikaki purely for the reasons of memory. Kaito was the last of the previous Kagami line. Kaito was 33 and widowed. Kaito had blonde hair and blue eyes. And Kaito's wife, who passed away giving birth to their child that died soon after, was also the panda of the Kagamis. And Zikaki looked just like her.

Kaito took his bag upstairs, going down the long hall, passing the quiet room of the reading Helei Kagami, the Koi fish of the Original Zodiac and also the eternal bookworm, and closed the door of the loud Bereii Kagami, the poison dart frog of the Kagami clan, and complete and utter spaz, shutting the door, leaving Bereii to hop on her bed and blare her music as loud as she wanted, without disturbing anyone.

He heard loud footsteps coming from the roof of the house, and knew it was probably from Shouta, the hummingbird, training on the rooftop, his feet light and fast, and his energy high and unending. Shizukani was gone, outside someplace else Kaito didn't know where. He slowly opened the last door in the hall, stepped inside the rather small room, and closed the door quietly. Zikaki sat in the window, feet swinging outside, shoeless, with a long, black sweatshirt on and black shorts. Her hair was wet, signs that she'd taken a shower, and her hand wrapped in a white cloth.

Kaito set his things on her bed and Zikaki turned slightly, acknowledging his presence. She swung inside again, stepping lightly over to Kaito and sitting politely on her bed, long, nearly bared legs swinging off the bed, owlish, tired eyes watching as Kaito placed all his items he needed on the bed. Medical rubbing alcohol, fresh bandages, medical tape, and a blue bag of ice. Kaito busied himself immediately, telling Zikaki to take her sweatshirt off, then taking her arm and setting to work with the rubbing alcohol, placing it all over her reddened arm, rubbing the stinging substance onto up her arm and down her hand.

Zikaki never once whined, or complained, or bit him like Bereii would, or cried like Helei would, no, she stayed still as a board, watching Kaito's movements with high awareness, watching each stroke and each time he went up and down her arm. She only winced a few times, but other than that, Kaito noticed she never even moved.

He took the bandaging and wrapped it generously on her arm, from her shoulder to her hand, ending it by wrapping it from her thumb to her index finger, circling her hand. He took the tape and taped the ends together securely, assuring it could not be taken off by anyone without experienced hands. He ran his hand up the length of her arm till he reached the end of the bandages, right on her shoulder and just past the strap of her tank top, black and lacy, showing more cleavage than Kaito needed to think about Shizukani being able to view.

Awkwardly, he cleared his throat, and put his items bag in his bag and handing the bag of ice to Zikaki. "There, you should be fine, keep the ice on. Leave your sweatshirt off though," He said grudgingly, hoping Shizukani wouldn't come to see how she was. Zikaki smiled thankfully, hugging Kaito's neck tightly with her un-bandaged arm then letting go and, with a bow of thanks, hopped out her doorway, heading downstairs to get some juice.

As soon as she was gone, Kaito mentally slapped himself. '_What're you thinking?!? She's a 14 year old girl!!! Just because she looks like your wife did when she was young, it doesn't give you any right to get so touchy-feely, you sick pedophile!' _Kaito rubbed the sides of his temples in calming motions. Zikaki was a kid, well, a teenager, really. And what's more is that he was _33_, and didn't want to add 'sick pervert' to his list of things he was. He knew why such thoughts clouded his mind, and he mindlessly fiddled with the locket around his neck.

Absent mindedly, he flipped it open, and inside was a picture, faded and graying, but still recognizable, of Amiko Kagami, the previous panda bear of the Mirror Zodiac, and Kaito's deceased wife. He'd loved Amiko, he loved everything about her. Her hair, her eyes, her smile. Everything about her, calm and assuring, gave him a feeling of safety. Amiko was muted, couldn't speak a single word, yet was the most understanding person her knew. Then she'd gotten pregnant, and they'd been overjoyed.

Shizukani had been born a year ago, in the fall. After that year, right in springtime, Shouta was born, the hummingbird. Three spots left. Kaito thought they were fine, perfectly okay, there were still three spots. But then, two other pairs were pregnant just like that. Kaito started to sweat over it, Amiko had about three weeks to go, and a week before, Helei, the average looking, brown haired, brown eyed Koi fish girl was born.

Three days ago, five days before Amiko was due, and Mirror Zodiac members always gave birth on the day they were told, not a day earlier or later, Bereii, the poison dart frog with a rather large nose and wavy brown hair and brown eyes was born. One spot left. Kaito started to calm down, this meant all that commotion was done, and their was still one spot left. He didn't think to give a thought about the two that were missing, had gone off to establish connections with the new Sohmas about 10 months ago, and hadn't been back yet. The rest of them had just thought that they were delayed, or had come into something more important.

Whatever they thought, was wrong. The other pair was pregnant, nine months, and one day before Kaito and Amiko's child was to be born, the last zodiac child, the panda, the muted one with the large, dark eyes, Zikaki, was born in secrecy. The next day, Amiko gave birth, and died. The child died two minutes afterward. The day after, the new panda child was taken back to the Kagami clan by the mother, who was pail and weak.

When a Mirror Zodiac member was born, the parents did die. Of course, Kaito never thought about that, didn't even know it existed, because the way and time they died always varied, depending on when the child was born. For example, Shizukani's mom didn't die till he was five, his father till he was six.

Shouta's father died when he was four, his mother when he was three. Helei's parents both died when she was two, her father first, then, near her second birthday, her mother. Bereii's parents both died a day apart, when she was 8 months old. And now, Zikaki Kagami, two days old, was left without any parents, after only three days of life, her mother dying in her sleep the night she returned, her father dead two hours after she was born.

So, by whoever was born first, their parents lived longer, having more time to live, to see the beautiful creation they had made. No one knew why or how the parents died. Usually, the heart went out, quickly and painlessly, out of the blue. A heart attack, cardiac arrest, or they just stopped breathing in their sleep like Zikaki's mom.

Kaito walked out of Zikaki's room, closing the window before he headed back to his office, the locket closed again, his eyes ahead of him. In a way, Kaito thought, as he sat where he was now, musing, in his large, leather chair, facing his blank monitor, his wife died, because Zikaki was born.

Kaito couldn't help but think of the irony, the girl that he took such caution with, to not let a single hair get touched, was the reason his wife, and his son, had died. Kaito opened the locket again, thinking, his wife and he would have still died, but to him, that didn't matter. At least their son would be alive.

But no, Zikaki was born. Zikaki killed his son. Zikaki killed his wife and his entire family. Zikaki. It was Zikaki's fault. Kaito hated Zikaki. He hated her eyes, her hair, her smile. Everything about her. But it was the type of hate that was love, she was the person he hated to love. Hated to tell her goodnight, to carry her to bed when she fell asleep on the couch, hated hugging her and kissing her cheek when she did something well. Hated not being able to hate her. Because, no matter how hard he tried to blame everything on Zikaki, everything, he couldn't do it.

Simply because, plain and simple, Zikaki was the only thing left, besides the single picture in his locket, to remind Kaito that Amiko had once been. Their was once a woman that he once called his wife, and she called him her husband. That they had loved each other and would have lived good lives. So, Kaito would go on, trying to hate Zikaki, even though he knew he couldn't, knew he never would, never would be able to.

Because, Zikaki Kagami, was the only reminder to Kaito, that he too, had once known happiness.


	3. Ch 3: I, Shizukani Kagami

Chapter Three: I, Shizukani Kagami

The leaves on the trees fell to the ground with a soft rustle, the color of autumn, making crunching noises under Shizukani's footsteps. He looked up at the clear, crisp sky, so blue and eternal. He sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Kaito got on his last nerve, worse than Bereii when she blared her music so loud the rest of the house couldn't think. Worse than when Shouta refused to come down from the roof to eat.

Shizukani rubbed his right thumb and index finger together in thought. He stopped and leaned up against a tree. He watched children and parents pass him, having a wonderful time being alive. What fools. Shizukani didn't believe, unlike most, that there was a reason for life. What is not seen by the eye does not exist. Bereii would always make fun of him, saying he would die a nihilist, and she was probably right. The only person that ever tried to convince him that there was a reason to live instead of just for the sake of existence, was Zikaki, one of the sole reasons he didn't believe.

Zikaki would always tell him that there was no sense in not believing, everyone needed something to believe in, otherwise, the world was just a bleak, gray mass of sad people. Of course, she never actually _said_ anything, but Shizukani knew. He could understand her, they were the same. Zikaki couldn't talk, and no one ever heard Shizukani. Shizukani didn't deny he had what some would call a crush on Zikaki, but he himself knew that his feelings for her were much stronger, deeper than a silly crush.

It started when he was five. That was the first time he ever saw Zikaki, any of the other kids. All of them were separated till they were five, then they were introduced. Shizukani didn't understand it, but then again, not much about the Kagami clan made sense at all. So, there were the children, the adults left them in a room alone. It was silent right off the bat, tense silence clouding the senses.

Quickly, all the kids were afraid of him, all of them were a year younger of course, except Shouta, the only other boy. Now, being only five, Shizukani didn't have much of a concept of beauty or love, but when he saw Zikaki, one thing was sure, her eyes were the loveliest things he'd ever seen. They were large and dark as a pitch black night. They stared at him from across the room, staring into his soul. She was all alone, separated from the others. She held a small panda plush in her right arm, her black hair falling infront of her eyes. Shizukani didn't like that.

He didn't know what made him do this, but he had, without another thought, went timidly over to the owl eyed girl, who was sitting on a step, facing him, and they stared at each other in stillness. Shizukani bent slightly, pushing the bangs away from her eyes. The small girl he'd yet to know the name of blushed, then looked down. He crouched on his knees startling her by forcing her to face him. She opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to say something, but no sound came out, instead her face reddened more, then she shook her head quickly.

Shizukani frowned, not knowing what was wrong. "Um, hey. I'm Shizukani. Who're you?" The small Zikaki had tears form in her eyes and sighed again. She looked up into Shizukani's eyes, wet with unshed tears, begging him to understand. He stared at her for a long time, confused, till she slowly lifted her hand and covered her mouth, slowly shaking her head. Shizukani sat down by her on the step and patted her head, working his fingers through the black, silky smooth tresses, enjoying the softness and the cool feeling of the glossy hair. He couldn't tell if Zikaki liked this or not, but he could tell that she was tense, very, very tense as if waiting for him to strike her, her face paled with fear, her eyes large as plates, her body shaking.

"You can't talk, can you?" she shook her head no again. By now, the other children had noticed them conversing, and had come to investigate. They soon surrounded them, but took a small step back, intimidated by Shizukani's icy glare. Shouta was the first to come up. Loud mouthed and boisterous, the child was the first to introduce himself. "Hi! I'm Shouta Kagami, the hummingbird. Pretty jealous, aren't ya? Who're you?" Zikaki just looked up at him, stare blank, biting her bottom lip, waiting.

Shouta soon became impatient, furrowing his brow and frowning. "Uh, hello??? Did you hear me, I asked you a question." Shizukani witnessed Zikaki gradually curl into a ball of anxiety, as he witnessed for the first time the pain of being muted. Shouta frowned angrily, then smirked. "What? Are you gonna answer me or not? Or are you just stupid? C'mon stupid, say something!!" Zikaki shielded her head away into the back of her bear, her knuckles white from clutching the stuffed animal in a death grip, her body trembling with sobs that made Shizukani's heart sting in unhappiness for this child. And, although he'd just met her, he felt waves of anger and protectiveness.

He wrapped his small arms around the breaking down girl, who proceeded to liquefy into a quivering mass on his being, at first freezing and tugging backwards, obviously thinking of retreating out of the defensive embrace, but instead giving up and just lying there under fire. "What's your problem?!" Shizukani was surprised at how icy cold and cruel his voice was, making the other boy jump back in alarm. "What's _my_ problem??? What's _your_ problem, dude?! Why're you protecting this stupid kid?? I mean, c'mon, she could at least say a few words, god!" Shizukani let go of Zikaki and, in a flash, was up infront of Shouta with his fist clenched. Zikaki peaked over her bear, bleary eyed. He heard it connect with someones stomach, whatever it was getting thrown back and rolling several feet away.

Shizukani opened his eyes that he's unknowingly clenched shut. That was the first time Shizukani had ever punched someone. When he opened his eyes, he'd in fact been correct, he had punched somebody. But not Shouta, he realized quickly, noticing the other boy's 'o' shaped mouth while he stared off in the direction the other had rolled off into, the scream that came from the girl named Bereii as she and the other girl, Helei, rushed over to the dust covered heap lying in the dirt that was trying to raise itself gradually, but fell right back down. He'd hit Zikaki, who'd stood up and got into the line of Shizukani's strike, protecting Shouta from his wrath for reasons none of them understood.

He ran over to the curled up Zikaki, who spit out blood then pushed herself up shakily, covered in earth and tears. Shizukani rambled a thousand apologies a second, as Helei yelled profusely at Shouta for being 'responsible for Zikaki getting hurt.' Oh, okay, so her name was Zikaki. At least Shizukani knew her name before she killed him. But when she raised her gaze to look at him, she just smiled. _Smiled_. Shizukani about keeled over. Who'd smile at the person who just doubled them over??? Shizukani just stared dumbfounded at the smile, not knowing until later how much he took that smile for granted, after learning a very interesting fact; before that, Zikaki Kagami had never smiled to anyone, in her entire life.

He just took her hand in his while Bereii ran off to get an adult, Helei sucked on the straw that led into her water container on her back, wheezing, while Shouta dashed away to get away from trouble, kicking up dirt in the air as he sprinted away from the scene, not even a 'sorry' or 'thanks' for the person who'd blocked the blow that would have most likely have put him the position she was in. Shizukani was steaming about that, but right now his main concern was Zikaki. Zikaki…that was such a pretty name. Shizukani wiped a smudge of dirt off of her cheek with his finger, feeling how warm her cheek was.

Shizukani looked at the girl who wiped down her panda bear, stuck it under her arm, and looked back at him with question in her eyes at the stare. Shizukani cleared his throat. "I'm really sorry, Zikaki. Really, really, REALLY sorry." Zikaki giggled and Shizukani felt his face flush with heat. Zikaki stood, with some assistance, after Helei looked her over and deduced that they needed to take her to Kaito, the then 24 year old doctor in training. They walked to his office, and he said a bunch of words Shizukani didn't know but didn't want to know now at the sight of the sand covered Zikaki. That was the first time Shizukani felt what people today called 'true love', the feeling of seeing someone, and knowing nothing about them, but knowing you're meant to be.

Shizukani sighed for, what, the hundredth time today, back from his trip down memory lane, age 15 now, older, colder, quieter. He thought about how till she was ten, Shizukani and Zikaki were the inseparable best friends. Zikaki would go everywhere with Shizukani, and Shizukani wouldn't let Zikaki go anywhere else without him. But that was then, and now, today, Zikaki couldn't even look at Shizukani without retreating into a shell. Shizukani knew why, the reason his best friend, and true love always took off into the opposite direction at the sight of him: Kaito Kagami.

Kaito had been very weary and very disapproving of their friendship, and as Shizukani got older, he became more and more defiant to him, until finally came the day of Zikaki's tenth birthday, where Kaito warned him, that if Shizukani continued growing closer to Zikaki, Kaito would take very serious action, and forbid her from seeing him at all, ever again. So, for the sake of at least being able to see Zikaki, to see the sight that he lived for everyday, he said goodbye to her, and left her alone, again.

After that, everytime Zikaki saw him, she'd slink back to wherever she'd come from, and frankly, that made Shizukani want to cry. After that, Shizukani referred to her as his L.B.D.T., Look but Don't Touch. Shizukani shifted his weight for the fifth time, standing against the same tree. Shizukani rolled his shoulders and kicked off the tree, walking back home, anticipating the loud screams of Bereii, the wheezing coughs of Helei, the never-ending sound of Shouta running up and down the rooftops, increasing his speed, the hostile glower of Kaito whenever Shizukani 'accidentally' brushed against Zikaki, or 'accidentally' tripped and was forced to grasp onto her waist to keep from meeting the floor.

He also anticipated the jump of Zikaki when that happened and whenever he let go, her slipping away into her room at the very end of the hall and slamming her door shut. The victory smirk of Kaito, then Shizukani would take a shower, go to bed, and wait for morning to come, when he could 'accidentally' on purpose grab Zikaki's hand instead of the spoon, or brush against her lower back when he's putting away a book. Anything, he waited, he lived for waiting. Waiting to see Zikaki, to feel her, to be near her.

Waiting, hoping, that maybe, she'd smile at him again.


	4. Ch 4: I, Helei Kagami

Chapter Four: I, Helei Kagami Helei sat on the roof, watching Shouta run endlessly up and down the rooftops, watching Kaito's car pull out of the driveway andhead towards the direction of the school. A while before,she had watched Shizukani storm out of the house, then saw Zikaki come down from upstairs to get juice, one arm completely bandaged from shoulder to hand. Helei had no idea what happened, and she didn't really want to either. She opened up the book she was currently reading, flipping a yellowing page. Taking one long, painful, wheezing intake of air, she started into her adventure. It was about a league of superheroes, who traveled all over the world, looking for the cure to a deadly virus that was spreading around the Earth. Helei loved books like these, about heroes and fantasy. It helped Helei to believe that she could be a superhero too.  
Eventually, the day turned to night, Helei still sat reading when Shizukani returned, when Kaito returned, when Shouta went downstairs to wait for dinner. After reaching the chapter before last, Helei closed the book and went downstairs, lugging her heavy, 10 pound water tank on her back. By the time she reached the table, she was out of breath, coughing and wheezing. She grabbed for the mouthpiece on a connected tube in her watertank, then sucked the water down into her airway. She took the seat in between Kaito and Zikaki, across from Bereii. Kaito and Shizukani sat on the opposite ends, and Shouta sat beside Bereii. As usual, dinner was loud and talkative, mostly from Bereii or Shouta, who would contribute most of the fightingat the table would answer politely, and Helei too would sometimes take the tube from her mouth, droplets of water dripping onto her shirt, too answer quick, raspy answers before replacing the tube again. Shizukani only talked to correct someone about something or to disagree about something. Zikaki, obviously, said nothing. This is what Helei did. she observed. Everyone and everything, she watched, day and night, all the people in her family and what they did. That was really the only thing she , like all the other members of her family, had a specific 'ailment' to her, if you will.  
Helei could not breathe. Well, not breathe well. Not without water, Which is why she carried that heavy, back-breaking water tank on her back, which she refilled every morning. Helei was the Koi fish, which explained her condition. She could not run far or fast, nor lift a heavy object. She could not survive without 'breathing' in half her weight each day in water. Helei was, out of all of them, the one who actually displayed signs of actual illness. She coughed and wheezed, her voice was raspy and laboured. Her skin was pale and she was frail in a world she could not operate in. Ignoring the food on her plate, she guzzled down the large glass of water provided for her and opened her bookunder the would finish it before tonight was over, and have newly supplied dreams of superheroes and powers. That was one secret no one knew about Helei; even when she was little, she always wanted to be a superhero.  
How silly, Helei thought, that she even had the idea of being a superhero. She was notfast, or strong. She could not fly or breath fire. She breathed water and could swim well. That was it. She could turn into a Koi fish and swim in circles. And yet that fighting urge still grew inside her, the need for action, for adventure, to really help someone. She wanted to be a hero, more than she wanted anything else. After dinner, she slowly made her way to her room,next to Bereii's, which is why she had her walls opened up to the last chapter of her book and finished it before mdnight came. Noticing the time,she sat the finished book in her drawer and got up, detaching her heavy daytime water tank and replaced it for a temporary nighttime carry on that was less than half its size. She got up and went into her bathroom, turning on the shower and filling up the smaller container. Now heavier, she lugged the mini-tank back into her room. Helei had to sleep with the night tank because the daytime tank supplied too much water for her sleeping form to process, but the mini was designed (by Kaito) to only give as much as was needed.

Unfortunately, the tank had to be turned on, and in the morning she always recieved loud complaints from Shouta, who slept in the attic, that he didn't get a wink of sleep because of Helei's 'stupid fish bowl'. Helei flipped the switch and the water from the top began poring out into the reciever, which was connected to a thin tube that ended with a large, blue mouthpiece. Helei strapped the mouthpiece on and got up out of bed to fullfill her task of getting Shouta to bed. With noisy tank in arms, she made her way up to the attic and out onto the roof where Shouta ran. Helei loved watching Shouta run, no matter how annoying he was. He had the speed Helei would never have; the speed of a hero. Day and night he'd stay up on the rooftops, training till the sweat turned to blood and his steps became heavy.

Helei envied the speed of the hummingbird, for what did she have to best it other than the water? Helei stepped up onto the platform, chilling air making goosebumbs rise onto her pale arms. "Shouta," She said, and that was all that was needed. "I know, I know." Shouta called back to her. "I'm comin'." He grumbled as Helei turned and made her way down to her room again. Wheezing, she intook large amounts of water from the piece as she got back into bed. She snuggled into her pillow and soon sleep clouded her mind. She dreamt of superheroes with incredible speed and eachtime one took of their mask it would be Shouta, mocking Helei's water tank. Soon the dream became a nightmare, large Shouta's popping up into hummingbirds that grew larger than life and morphed into hideous creatures that chased Helei down a desolate street.

Each time the dream started over, and right before it ended and it began to replay again, Helei would get just far away enough to think she could make it, but then her water tank grew heavier and heavier, and she could no longer carry it and it fell on her. The seventh time it fell Helei's eyes snapped open. In a cold sweat, she sat up, looking around. No monster Shouta birds. No inflating bolder of a water tank. Just Helei and the darkness. She slowly lowered herself onto the bed again, trying to regulate her breathing. Her back was sore and her vision cloudy. She closed her eyes once more, clearing her thoughts.

Stupid Shouta. It was all his dumb fault. Why couldn't Helei be fast? She'd show that stupid hummingbird. She'd show him he wasn't the only fast one. He wan't the best. He wasn't the only one who could be a superhero. Helei pushed herself into a restless sleep once again, her heart rate finally returning to normal. She would show him. She would show them all. That she was not just a fish on land. Not just a worm in a book. She would show them that she could be someone. Someone great. Someone super. A hero. Helei buried her face into her pillow and her final thoughts of the night before she resigned herself to sleep was that she, Helei Kagami, would be a hero. She would change the world. 


End file.
